1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous pavement process for constructing a bridge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bridges being built currently have a construction such that a girder, a floor slab and a bridge surface pavement are built in an integral structure for each section of a bridge between supports therefor, the end portions of the adjacent sections are connected to each other via an expansion joint, and the expansion joint itself is also used as a part of a bridge surface, that is, a surface over which vehicle wheels run.
Since a bridge would expand and contract as influenced by a temperature variation, creep of a material, contraction due to drying, etc., an expansion-admitting hollow space is an absolutely necessary requirement for a bridge structure, and in order to smoothen running of a vehicle thereover, in that hollow space, there is mounted an expansion joint which becomes the weakest point of the bridge structure.
Thus, a pavement of a bridge surface having an asphalt mixture is made to be discontinuous by the expansion joint, but on the other hand, continuity of a bridge surface is retained by the same expansion joint. Accordingly, as the brige surface in the prior art is made of a combination of an elastic body consisting of an asphalt mixture and a rigid body consisting of an expansion joint, in the event that the bridge surface pavement which is essentially the elastic body should be deformed by a load of wheels, the load of wheels would directly act upon the expansion joint which is essentially a rigid body, while such rigid body is also being hit by impacts.
Heretofore, within the above-mentioned expansion-admitting hollow space, there was disposed a bridging plate formed in a single structure. However, if a single structure such as the bridging plate is used in the hollow space which is subjected to various complex movements and a local loading, then local bending and deformation would arise in the bridging plate, hence it becomes unable to achieve the function of a bridging plate, and it becomes a source of noises and vibrations.
The present invention has been proposed on the basis of the recognition that the biggest cause for bringing about damages to a bridge surface in the prior art is that the bridge surface consists of a combination of an elastic body and a rigid body.